Bathtub cover



Sept. 30, 1958 J. J. DARMSTADT BATHTUB COVER Filed Dec. 20. 1956 INVENTOR JOHN J. DAR/145E407 United States Patent BATHTUB COVER John J. Darmstadt, Cuyahoga Falls, @hio Application December 20, 1956, Serial No. 629,643

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-173) This invention relates to coverings for frangible fixtures and more particularly to temporary protective covers for bath tubs.

In the building of a new house, for example, it is standard practice to install the bath tub at approximately the time of completion of the rough framing and flooring and prior to the installation of the finished wall and floor surfaces. This permits the tub to be built-in to the wall. While such a procedure i highly desirable from an aesthetic point of view, it is undesirable from certain other standpoints, in view of the fact that these finishing operations involve the use of plaster, lath, paint, trim, tile, among other materials, by plasterers, carpenters and other workmen.

When working within a confined area such as would be the case in most bathrooms, it is impossible for the workmen to accomplish their jobs without dropping bits of plaster or dripping paint. In addition, tools and other materials used by the workmen are frequently dropped, sometimes landing with great force. Further, it i necessary for workmen to actually step into the bath tub in order to properly position themselves to perform certain parts of the finishing operation. Consequently, the highly polished vitreous surface of the bath tub is exposed to damage during the whole period of time following installation until the finishing operation has been completed. This interval of time is usually considerable with the result that the bath tub, being a reservoir, collects an accumulation of material of this nature that is extremely difiicult to remove prior to actual use thereof. Additionally, during this time interval, there is a great likelihood that the finished surface of the fixture will become cracked or chipped due to the falling tools.

Effort by workmen to protect the finished surface of this type of fixture ordinarily include the use of old newspapers or wrapping paper fitted around the bathtub and held in place by adhesive-type tape, or by watering the same. In this manner, only limited protection is obtained, since paper is easily torn and is no protection against falling objects. Hence, a clean-up crew must still be employed to restore the highly polished surface of the fixture after the finishing operation is completed. In some cases, due to irreparable damage, it is necessary to install another new bathtub.

In the prior art, the efforts made to overcome these difficulties involve the use of heavier type paper, preformed in two or more pieces, and fitted to the configuration of the bathtub and supposedly capable of being removed for use on another job. These pieces are usually held together'by adhesive tape but in some cases one such piece is secured to the rough flooring, where it remains after the finishing operation.

While these devices of the prior art afford some additional protection against falling objects and since parts are joined, it is highly likely that separation and tears will occur with the result that blemishes or cracks will appear on the surface of the bathtub and still necessitate the use of a clean-up crew following the finishing 2,853,714 Patented Sept. 30, 1958 it has been found that the same will be successful in completely overcoming the' aforementioned difficulties. It has also been found that the resilient cushioning effect, together with the molded configuration of such covers, permits retention of the same as a component covering element of the tub either for aesthetic or safety purposes.

It accordingly becomes the principal object of this invention to provide a one-piece covering for a bathtub that is substantial in body and accordingly, capable of reuse.

It is another object of this invention to provide a covering for a bath tub that includes a cushioning feature that serves to protect the surface of the bathtub not only against scratches, but also against falling objects.

It is still another object of this invention to eliminate the need for a clean-up crew following completion of v the finished work.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bathtub covering capable of constant re-use resulting in a saving to the contractor and consequently, to the eventual homeowner.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bathtub covering that, because of its inherent cushioning properties, provides an added degree of safety to users thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification, considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view partially broken away and in section, and showing the bathtub cover positioned within the bathtub.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing the bathtub and the covering therefor.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 3, 3 of Figure l. I

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the lines 4, 4 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, the improved bathtub covering, generally designated by the numeral 10, is shown positioned over a bathtub B so as to completely cover all exposed sur faces thereof when the same is positioned adjacent floor F and wall W. To this end, the covering 10 is illustrated as being of one-piece construction wherein a reservoir portion 11 is defined at its upper marginal edge by a flat flange portion 12 that in turn defines at one edge 12a thereof a depending surface 13 that serves to cover the front vertical portion of the bathtub B.

While the overall covering 10 is of unitary construction, the reservoir portion 11 thereof, for the sake of clarity in description, includes a bottom surface 29, front and rear surfaces 21 and 22, and opposed side surfaces 23 and 24, with the rear surface 22 being somewhat in clined to vertical in order to complementally engage the correspondingly inclined rear surface of a tub. Additionally, the front surface 21 is shown offset as at 21a to provide a housing for the various faucets and spigots that are customarily employed in bathtubs.

In order that a resilient cushioning efiect might be obtained, the exposed external surfaces of the covering 10 may include a. series of longitudinally extending ribs 30, 30, with several such ribs being provided in the embodiment disclosed so that the various sections and portions of the covering 10 might be spaced with respect to the surface adjacent thereto.

In use and operation, it. is merelynecessary .to place the pre-formedv improved bathtub cover 10 over the bathtub as in the position of Figure, 1, with such positioning taking place when the bathtub, B" is first installedwith respect to the rough flooring and, framework... During the finishing operation and vuntil completion, thelirnproved bathtub cover merely rests, in position with the wall portions thereof being spaced with. respect to tub surfaces by virtue of the ribs 30,301. The .fit obtained by use of a one-piece unit of corresponding contour is such that. it will obviate shifting when. workmen are standing and moving about on the surface thereof.

Additionally, by virtue of the. spacing providedby the ribs 30, 30, there will be provided an air space that protects the bathtub B fromscrat-ching, chipping or crack ing by falling objects.

When the finishing operation is completed; the protective covering 10 is removed by merely lifting the same out of the bathtub B. At this point, the bathtub B will.

have retained its original surface. finish, unmarred and undamaged so that the services of a clean-up crew are rendered unnecessary.

Because the protective covering. 10 is made of pliable vinyl plastic, it can easily be cleaned. merely by shaking, twisting, and the use of cleaning, abrasives and acids which could not be applied against the surface of: the bathtub B. Thereafter, being extremely light in weight, the protective covering 10 may be manually carriedto the'next job for re-use.

It has been shown how there has beenprovid'ed a protective covering for bathtubs that adequately protect the surfaces of a bathtub from abuse and damage during plastering and other finishing operations and which is characterized by a singleness of construction and use and the ability to be constantly reused.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention shows the use of longitudinally extending ribs 30, 30 to obtain a cushioning efiect, it is to be understood that protuberances or transverse ribs could be provided that would perform equally well. Further, if desired, they could be eliminated in favor of. strips placed on the bot tom of the tub, and it is equally apparent that by mak- .,4' ing the sidewall portions 21, 22,23 and 24 shorter-in depth that the bottom surface 20 Would be spaced from the bottom surface of the tub.

Also to be understood is the fact that the preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated in connection With a recessed bathtub having only one exposed vertical external surface. However, the invention herein disclosed can easily be adapted to. bathtubs having more than one exposed side depending on the particular size and configuration of bathtub selected.

Accordingly, modifications of this invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective covering for use with a bathtub having exposed frangible surfaces that include a bottom surface, front and rear surfaces, opposed side surfaces, and a top surface, comprising; a thin Walled body of resilient material formed substantially to the contour of said bathtub and adapted to nest therein and cover said exposed frangible surfaces thereof; said body having externalbottom, front, rear, opposed sidewall, and top surfaces that are respectively engaged with the corresponding surfaces of said tub when nested therein; at. least one external surface of said body including av series of projecting ribs that are integral with and extend transversely thereof for engagement With the corresponding exposed frangible surface of said bathtub adjacent thereto; said remaining surface portions of said surface having said ribs being resiliently spaced from said exposed frangible surface area of said bathtub that is adjacent thereto.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by thefact that said external front surface of said body includes an integral offset cavity having a bottom surface; said bottom surface ofsaid offset cavity being spaced at a distance from said external front-surface of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,335 Jarvis Feb. 2, 1926 2,080,601 Cappuccio May 18, 1937 2,143,267 Hall Jan. 10, 1939 2,264,672 Levine Dec. 2, 1941 2,575,236 Slawson Nov. 13, 1951 2,596,735 Suarez May 13, 1952 2,784,418 Luoma- Mar. 12, 1957 

